Wall construction



Aug; 9, 1938.

F. H..HEDINGER 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

I INVENT R FRED HENRY Hen/Z B m A ATTORN EY S Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES WALL CONSTRUCTION Fred Henry Hedinger, Hampstead, England Application December 17, 1937, Serial No. 180,350 In Great Britain April 21, 1937 12 Claims.

The present invention relates to a Wall construction and particularly relates to a brick Wall construction. a

In the present type of wall constructionit is customary to form a double wall of two tiers of bricks which are connected by mortar or suitable cementitious material.

Walls of this character require an inner facing of lath or slats tocarry plaster and they also are have most satisfactory heat, weather and sound insulating properties;

Furthermore, it is necessary for the bricklayer to lay two walls with increased labor cost and considerable consumption of cement and wastage of bricks.

To include various pipes or conduits, whether for gas, water or electricity, it is necessary either to make a special construction or to break the wall in various places to include said pipes or conduits.

It is among the objects 'of the present invention to provide an improved wall construction and system of bricks for forming the same, in which although the bricks may be inexpensively manufactured with high production, it will be possible to secure a most satisfactory wall construction having excellent heat, weather and sound proofing properties with considerable saving in materials and labor.

Another object is to provide an improved wall construction of the character described and brick elements for forming said wall construction, which will enable better thermal insulation of the building or home, giving a warmer building in winter and a cooler building in summer, and which will include provision for conduits'for gas, water, oil and electricity without the need of breaking the wall or without the need of special wall constructions.

Another object is to provide a system. of interlocking and self aligning brick constructions for runners, corners, window enclosures, joist receptacles, wall ends and so forth which will be preformed to be most satisfactorily utilized upon the job, which may be readily employed by brick layers and which will largely eliminate cutting and wastage.

Other objects will be obvious or will appear during the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory to provide an improved cavity brick construction including or consisting of a plurality of longitudinal or stretcher vertical web elements joined at their peripheries by short transverse vertical web elements. Between adjanot particularly weather or watertight and do not cent pairs of longitudinal or stretcher elements, there will be a number of cavities.

In the preferred cavity brick construction, the ends of the bricks are provided with complementary or interengaging tongue and groove or other keying connections which will assure that the ends of the adjacent bricks in the same course in the wall will closely interfit and interlock with each other with the elimination of air spaces between the ends of the bricks.

At the same time, the edge portions at the ends of the bricks adjacent the front and rear faces thereof are so shaped as to leave the substantial recesses adjacent the front and rear faces of the walls on both sides of where the bricks are interfitted together with the result that the cement or mortar will be utilized only along the front and back portions of the bricks.

At the same time, the horizontal courses or layers of bricks are altogether separated from each other by a layer of mortar or cement and the bricks in the different rows are preferably so ofiset, one from another, that the end vertical transverse webs of the bricks will be positioned centrally of the cavities of the bricks in the horizontal course or layer above or below.

In forming the wall, it is desirable that there be free passage of air through the wall in all directions, both horizontally and vertically through the cavities between the longitudinal or stretcher elements. At the same time, no possible passage should be provided between the ends of the bricks so that a most satisfactory weathertight, heattight and sound-tight wall construction is obtained.

The keys or complementary projections and grooves on the ends of the bricks are desirably so constructed that the bricks may be reversed on a vertical axis. At the same time, the top and bottom faces of the bricks in combination with said end faces are so constructed as to prevent reversal of the bricks upon a horizontal axis with the result that one horizontal face of the brick will always be the upper face and the other horizontal face will be the lower face although the ends may be interchanged at will.

It is also desirable to provide an enlargement on the central stretcher element bywhich the brick may be balanced and which will serve as a handle by which the brick may be grasped by the bricklayer.

To enable construction of corners, window frame receivers, joist receptacles and so forth, special types of bricks are employed including the interengaging or complementary keying elements which may be utilized to form the wall structure and complete the rows of bricks formed by the standard constructions above stated.

In the drawings which show several of the various possible embodiments which may be made according to the present invention:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the standard form of brick.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the adjacent ends of two bricks with the complementary interlocking portions thereof in engagement.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 3--3 of Figure 1 upon a slightly enlarged scale. 7

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top perspective" view showing how the bricks of Figures '1 to 3 may be utilized in a wall construction.

Figure 5 is another fragmentary top perspective view of the wall construction showing the brick system at a corner and showing the manner in which the bricks are assembled at such corner.

Figure 6 is a top perspective view of a corner brick or quoin.

Figures 7 to 12 are respectively top perspective views of the brick constructions designed to be utilized in connection with the standard runner bricks of Figures 1 to 3, and the corner bricks of Figure 6; Figure 7 showing a face end brick; Figure 8 being a reveal or window enclosure brick; Figure 9 showing a closer brick; Figure 10 showing a half face end' brick; Figure 11 showing an angular squint and Figure 12 showing a half runner brick.

Referring to Figure 1, the brick A, as shown, is preferably molded or formed integrally or in one piece, of clay, cinders or other finely divided material cemented or bonded together, or it may be cast of cement, concrete or other materials.

The brick, as shown in A may be fired, the final dimensions of thebricks, as shown in Figure 1, being uniform so that the bricks may be ac-' curately combined to form a wall construction as diagrammatically indicated in Figures 2 and 4.

The runner brick of Figure l is provided with the front and back parallel vertical longitudinal or stretcher web elements ID, the intermediate or middle vertical longitudinal or stretcher web elements I I and the transverse web members [2 and I3 uniting the ends of said stretcher elements l0 and H.

Formed between the stretcher elements 10 and H and the. transverse end members l2 and I3, are two longitudinal cavities M, which communicate with the cavities of other bricks, as indicated in Figure 4 and form part of a continuous air space which extends laterally and vertically through the entire wall structure.

The webs l2 are provided with the outwardly projecting key or male elements l5 which project beyond the end face l6 of the runner element I I, while the webs l3 are provided with the recessed portions I1 which are recessed below the end face l6 of the runner elements I I.

The upper portions of the webs l2 and I3 are longitudinally recessed, as indicated at is and 9 to establish communication between the air spaces of the adjacent bricks through each tier, row, course or layer of bricks.

It will be noted that the projecting keys or male elements l5 alternate and are diagonally opposite in each brick as are also the recessed or female portions I1, the flat end faces [6 connecting said projecting portion 15 and said recessed portion IT.

The complementary end faces are composed of the surfaces I5, [6 and IT, and these end faces are designed to engage each other in the manner best shown in Figure 2.

The end faces of the back and front runner elements [0 are set behind the end faces it so that when the bricks are interfitted, as indicated in Figures 2, 4 and 5, there will be a recess 2i for the reception of mortar.

7 By the close interfitting of the complementary keying areas l5, l6 and If, it is assured that air willnot pass vertically or laterally past the end junctions between the bricks, while the recesses 2| between the front and'back runner elements Ill-will insure sufficient area or space for the reception of mortar or other cementing material, which cementing material should preferably be kept away from the space between the front and back runner or longitudinal stretcher elements 10, as indicated in Figure 4.

The brick, as shown in Figure 1, is reversible upon a vertical axis 22, indicated in the dot and dash lines in Figure 1, but is not designed to be reversible upon a horizontal axis indicated by a dot and dash line 23 in the same figure.

Grooves or recesses 24 which may serve as grouting grooves or mortar frogs are only applied to the top surfaces of the runners In of the brick A so that the bricklayer will readily perceive when the proper face of the brick is upright. Of course, other distinguishing marks may be applied and the recesses or grooves 24 then could be applied to both the top and bottom faces of the brick.

The middle runner H is preferably provided with enlargements 25 which serve to locate the center of gravity and form a convenient handle or grasp for the bricklayer.

The projections and recesses l5 and H might be made of trapezoidal or other shapes, but the curved keying structures l5 and I! are found to be most suitable since they avoid sharp corners which are liable to fracture.

It will be thus seen that with a brick having the three stretcher or longitudinal structure elements ill and II, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, there is provided a wall construction in which the intermediate portions of the ends of each brick will interlock with the adjacent bricks in the same layer or course giving a most satisfactory wall construction of only a single brick in thickness.

The cavities M are of such a length and width so that the thickness of the webs H], H, l2 and I3 will be about the same and so that distortion or uneven drying or setting will be largely eliminated, as might tend to result if there were dissimilar thicknesses in the brick body.

The intermediate portions 26 of the central web or stretcher element ll may be made slightly thinner than the outside longitudinal elements l0.

It will be noted by reference to Figures 2 to 4 that air passages are provided through the recesses I8 and I9 and also through the longitudinal cavities l4 even though the cavities I4 on one layer or course are bisected or traversed by the webs l2 and I3 on the next layer or course.

The corner brick or quoin shown separately in Figure 6 and in the wall construction of Figure 5, is designed to cooperate with bricks extending in different directions and particularly at right angles to each other to form a weather tight connection between the ends of the rows of the bricks which will prevent movement of water or air, between the bricks transversely of the wall. 7

The brick, as shown in Figure 6, has the front Wall portions or longitudinal vertical runner web elements 21, joining at the corner 28 and it is provided with the intermediate vertical longitudinal webs 29, 30, 3!, the web 29 extending in the direction 32 of one section of the Wall and the other webs 30 and 3| extending in the other direction 33. i

The webs 29 and 30 continue the middle webs or longitudinal'stretcher elements I l of the brick of Figures 1 to 4, while the web 3| continues the rearlongitudinal stretcher web element ll] of the runner bricks. The transverse webs 34 and 35 are also provided, said webs being recessed at their upper portions, as indicated at 36, 31 to cooperate with the passages or recesses I8 and I9 in the runner bricks of Figure 1. The bricks also are provided respectively with the key or male projections 38 and the groove or female recessions 39 which are complementary to and are designed to cooperate with the corresponding elements [5 and I! of the runner bricks in the manner indicated in Figure 5.

The grouting grooves or mortar frogs 40 correspond to the grouting grooves or mortar frogs 24 of the runner brick of Figure 1.

It will be noted that the projecting portion 4| of the cornerbrick of Figure 6 causes the side 42 to have the full width to cooperate with one of the runner bricks A in the direction 33, and at the same time, forms a recess 43, the bottom 44 of which is of sufficient width to cooperate with the end of the runner brick A extending in the direction 32.

At the same time, the cavities 45, 46 will continue the air spaces through the corner of the wall and will communicate with the cavities or air spaces l4 in the brick of Figure 1.

When used in the wall, as shown in Figure 5, there will be spaces formed at 41, 48, 49, 50 and 5| to receive mortar along the back and front of the wall with the intermediate portions of the wall being devoid of such mortar and with the intermediate portions of the corner brick of Figure 6 and the runner bricks of Figure 1 being in close interfitting engagement.

It will also be noted from Figure 5 that the successive corner bricks B, B and B are turned so that their short sides 52 and their long sides 53 will alternate.

To accommodate angles less than for example, 30, 45 and 60", it has been found most satisfactory to utilize a squint construction of the character shown in Figure 11 in which correspondingly functioning elements to those shown in Figure 1 are designated by the same numerals primed.

In this construction two of the webs 54 and 55 are of wedge shape and the brick is angled as indicated at 56 so that its face 51 will cooperate with one course or line of bricks extending in the direction 59, while the other end will cooperate with a course or line of bricks extending in the direction 58. The courses or lines '58 and 59 are at an angle of 30, 45 or 60 to each other or some intermediate angle.

The end face bricks 1 and the reveal bricks 8 are designed to be utilized at a fiat wall end or at a place where a window frame is to be received respectively.

In Figures 7 and 8, corresponding functioning parts to those shown inFigure 1 are indicated by the same numerals providedrespectively with a superior 2 and with a'superior ,3.

It will be noted that the webs 91 at the end of the brick of Figure 7 are flat and do. not have projections or recesses to key with adjacent bricks.

In'the construction of Figure 8, the transverse web 62 is offset in respect to the web 63 so as to leave a recess 64 in which the window frame may be fitted.

' In Figure 9, is shown a typical closer brick which may be made up of various sizes to accommodate spaces between the runner bricks of Figure 1, the corner bricks of Figures 6 and 11 and the end bricks of Figures 7 and 8.

In Figure 9, corresponding functioning parts are includedby the same numerals as in Figure 1, provided however, with a superior .4.

It will be notedthat the brick of Figure 9 is devoid of the longitudinal cavities of recesses [4 of Figure 1, but if the closer brick is of sufficient width such cavities may also be provided.

The key and groove elements i5 and H are diagonally positioned in respect to each other so that the brick may be reversed readily upon a vertical axis.

In Figures 10 and 12, are shown half bricks which may be utilized where joists or window beam members are to be inserted in the wall.

correspondingly functioning parts of the constructions of Figures 10 and 12 are indicated by the same numerals as Figures 1 and 7, provided, however, with a superior 5 and "6 respectively.

The half brick of Figure 10 has a fiat end web 6& which is designed to form part of a wall end and not to intereng'age an adjacent brick while the half brick of Figure 12 is'designed to be utilized in the regular course and to engage two adjacent bricks.

The inside walls '65 and 55 of these bricks are of such a thickness as to give suificient strength to the brick, but at the same time, to permit s'uflicient space inside of the adjacent brick. of standard size, as shown in Figure 1, to permit of the reception of ajoist or beam, as may be desired.

A wall made of the brick construction. as shown in Figures 1 to 12, is interlocking and aligning and creeping of the courses, due to uneven vertical joints, is eliminated.

The Wall constructions, as shown in Figures 4 No cutting is necessary on the job as the bricks may be of suitable sizes and shapes ready to fit any dimension and a double cavity wall is ob tained in one operation.

The wall construction is better because of the absolute resistance to weather due to the double cavities, and the unique system of permitting multiple ventilation-vertical, horizontal and di-' agonal-assuring adry structure.

Perfect thermal insulation giving warmer houses in winter and cooler houses in summer is obtained and the construction is particularly soundproof.

The wall has an attractive appearance and may be made in a variety of pleasing colors. Every brick is a face brick with no ugly exteriors,

and the structure has tremendous strength due.

1 Ill to the interlocking of the bricks giving a sub-' stantially' monolithic'structurei- Moreover, the wall construction costs muchless= because of the saving of the bricklayers time and the weight of material, the mortar saving being up to 75% and the saving: in bricklayers time being up to 50%.

Although the width and height of: the bricks may be widely varied; it has beenfound most convenient for commercial purposes to vary the height from 2%" to 9". As indicated in -Figure 2, the bricks A may have a width 61 of about'9" and the runner bricks-of Figure L the-face end bricks of Figure '7, the' reveal bricks' of Figure 6, the half brick face ends of Figure 10 and the half brick runners of Figure 12 may be of various lengths, say in sizes of 6, 9, and 12 inches.

The closing bricks may'bema'de m3" lengths, as indicated by the dimension 68 in? Figure 9;

It will be particularly noted that there is'no mortar extending through the wall from the front or exterior face of' the wall to: the back or interior face of the wall andall mortarjoints are broken. This will make the wall more water 5 tight since there will be no tendency'for the martar to' conduct the moisture' throughthe wall;

The enlargements 25 are particularly helpful to masons, bricklayers and so forth-since they enable the bricklayer to most readily locate the center of gravity of the brick and avoid'canting of the bricks when usedin making awall.

The present application is a continuation in' part of application, SerialiNo': 136,934, filed April 14, 1937.

It is apparent that the specific illustrations shown above have been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the structures above described are" subjecttd wide variation and modification without departing from the scope or intent of the invention all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention;

What is claimed is: 1. A wall construction comprising a plurality of courses of individual bricks having spaced vertical longitudinal stretcher elements at the front and back of the brick united together by mortar over the bottom, top and'end surfaces of the stretcher elements only, each brick having three stretcher elements, the outside elements forming the front and back of the brick andthe-inside element extending midway through the'brick, the outside elements'bein'g shorter than the inside ele' ment and forming a recess for reception of saidmortar.

2. A wall construction comprising a plurality. of courses of individual bricks, eachof saidbricks being provided with three spaced vertical long-i tudinal stretcher elements, the outsideelements being somewhat shorter than the inside element and said elements being connected at their. ends by transverse webs, said bricks abutting each other at the ends of said inside webs, andispa'ces being left between the ends of the outside webs, said bricks being united together by mortar over the marginal bottom, top and end surfaces of the bricks, said bricks having closely interfitting end surfaces between said marginal'portions;

3. A wall construction comprising a plurality 1 of layers of individual bricks, each of said bricks being provided with three spaced vertical longitudinal stretcher elements-,the outside elements being somewhat shorter than the inside element and said elements being connected: at their ends by transverse webs, said bricks abutting each other at the ends of said inside webs" and spaces other at the ends of said inside webs and spaces being left between the ends of the outside webs, said bricks being'united together by mortar over only the marginal bottom and top adjacent surfaces of the bricks where the marginal end surfaces of the bricks are spaced to form a mortar receiving recess, the intermediate end surfaces being provided with interlocking means.

5'; A wall construction comprising a plurality of layers or courses of individual bricks, each of saidbricks being providedwith three spaced vertical longitudinal stretcher elements, the outside elements being somewhat shorter than the inside-element and said elements being connected at their ends by transverse webs, said bricks abutting each other at the ends of said inside webs and spaces being left between the ends of the outside webs, said bricks being used in single depth in said wall construction, closely interfitting at the intermediate portions of said sides and'receiving mortar at the recesses formed between'the outside webs at the front and back ofthe'wall.

6. In a wall construction having an angle of the type including runner bricks having longitudinal front, back and center webs and end webs connecting said front, back and center webs, said end Webs carrying diagonally opposite keying elements; corner bricks having front, back and center vertical webs and transverse vertical webs at an angle to each other carrying correspondingly keyed surfaces at an angle to each other to cooperate with runner bricks extending toward said angle. 7

'7. In a wall construction having an angle of' and center vertical webs and transverse vertical a webs at an angle to each other carrying correspondingly keyed surfaces at an angle to each other to cooperate with runner bricks extending toward said angle, said angle being 90.

8. In a wall construction, of the type including a plurality of runner bricks having vertical front, back and center longitudinal webs and vertical transverse end webs connecting said longitudinal webs, said end webs forming projections and grooves to interlock with adjacent bricks; corner bricks being also provided with'front, back and center vertical webs and with transverse vertical webs having cooperating projections and grooves to interengage with the projections and grooves of said runner bricks.

9. A corner cavity brick comprising a brick molded in the form of five longitudinal stretcher web elements, two of which are parallel toeach other and the other three of which are also'parallel to each other and said parallel groups being arranged at right angles to each other, transverse webs connecting the ends of said stretcher Web elements, said webs being provided with grooved and projecting portions to form a looking engaging means to cooperate with and form a close connection with bricks having complementary shaped portions and extending in directions at right angles to each other from said cavity corner brick.

10. A cavity brick comprising a brick molded in the form of three bent parallel spaced longitudinal vertical stretcher webs connected and spaced by two pairs only of intermediate transverse vertical integral webs located at the ends of the brick, said transverse webs carrying complementary shaped grooved and projecting portions to serve as keys in respect to adjacent bricks.

11. A wall construction comprising runner bricks extending at right angles consisting of an elongated rectangular construction and corner bricks of L-shape, one of said runner bricks being fitted against the outside face of one leg of the L and the other being fitted against the inside face of the other leg.

12. A wall construction comprising runner bricks extending at right angles consisting of an elongated rectangular construction and corner 10 bricks of L-shape, one of said runner bricks being fitted against the outside face of one leg of the L and the other being fitted against the inside face of the other leg, said runner and L-bricks being provided with interengaging key and slot 15 portions.

FRED HENRY HEDINGER. 

